Electric heater, recess type



Oct. 3, 1933. J. A. BRIED ELECTRIC HEATER, RECESS TYPE Filed Aug. 16, 1927 INVENTOR.

A 45 cult to remove.

Patented Oct. V3., 1933 N 1 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE l ELECTRIC HEATER, BECESS TYPE Julien Bried, Oakland, Calif.

Application August 16, 1927. Serial No. 213,384

'z anims. (ci. 21e- 34) This invention relates to electric heaters as mounted in the walls of rooms and wherein the electric heating element of whichever type used is usually entirely or substantially within a rek cess formed in the wall so that the heat generated is available at the open front of the recess usually covered by a grille.

" In all wall electric'heaters of this recess type Where any amount of heat is generated it is neces- .10 sary that the recess in thefwall be relatively large 'in proportion to the size of the heating element positioned therein and that in case of inflammable vwalls' the recess be lined with metal and provided with one or more spaced rear plates so as -to form open air spaces, especially at the rear of Ythe heating element, and which spaces are in effect flues `for theupward and forward discharge ofthe air heated' inthe recess in back of the element, sol as to keep the recess cool and also to obtaink some useful heat from the rear of the vided with heating coils on their front faces only, f

so 'as tol keep the'heat as much as possible on the 0 fronttof 'fthe element for dissemination into the room to be heated.

Such electric heaters as described are well knownlin the'art, and some of their objections are thatthey loverheat the wall unless the special 5' air flue arrangements'as described,v are resorted #tof and `lthe A recess is large', ,and insulated with 'asbestos or. the like, also the4 usual 2 -x 4 studding `used in the Vwall fof'homes limits the depth of the wall vrece'ssso that the heating elementsmust lnecessarily be small to -permit the required air flues inback of them, alsoY since the grille is at all times open, a great'quantity of dust and dirt accumulates within the heater and is very diffrnetobjects of th-present invention are to lovercome the objections above noted, in permitting the 'use 'of a relatively large heating ele-4 for tightly closing the recess, whereby the interior of; the'heater and element or elementsrare pro- '-'55 tetfd, fromv injury *and` dust during the long periods of non-use, usually many times greater than their periods of use.

Further objects are to provide means rwhereby it is impossible to energize the heating element unless the door whichv encloses the recess be wide open, still further that the opening of the door will actuate a switch so that the element is thereby energized, or may subsequently be energized by actuation of another switch. Another object is to provide means by which the heating element will be drawn out of the recess to stand in front of the wall of the room before energizing, so that all of the air which it heats may freely ascend in front of the wall, also means is provided to positively prevent energizing of the element before it is so withdrawn from the recess, also means by which the opening and closing of the door will respectively draw out and return the element, from and to the recess. Other objects will appear in the following speciiication.

In the drawing hereto, several variations in mechanism for accomplishing the above objects are shown.

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of a wallrecess v with two electric heating elements enclosed therein by a pair of doors, all as seenfrom the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged` sectional elevation of one of the elements showing the adjacent supporting structure and grille. Fig. 4'is 'a sectional plan View of the `wall recess and casing showing a manual switch arrangement operable only when the doors are open. Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4 showing switches operatively hooked up to the doors. Fig. 6 is a similar view 'to Figs. 4 and 5 butfshows the doors closed and a single manually operable switch which is inoperative unless both doors are wide open. Figs. 'l and 8 are sectional diagrammatic views of a wall recess showing a variation in the manner of withdrawing the heating element by the opening of the doors. i

In the illustration I show the use of a vertical rhollow tubular electric heating element so that heated air may readily pass up through-it. Such elements have been'known and used for a long time in electric heaters, some had the resistance or heating coils wound on a short section of clay pipe, or on insulated metal pipes, or

just in the form of suspended coils. There are many types in the art and any of them are adaptable to the present invention, and while I prefer the hollow flue type of element it should vbe noted that the other forms vof electric heating elements Vsuch as the llat plate type, bulb type,

or any other, may be employed to certain advantage in connection with my invention if desired, as it is not limited to the use of the vertical hollow flue type of element, tho it gains additional advantages with the flue type.

Also, since the specific construction of the element is apart from the invention no attempt at detailing this is made in the drawing.

In the drawing the room wall is designated 1 and therrecess. Within -.the recessV istted a sheet metal box 3 as is common to all such construction so as to finish the inside of the recess,

and at the outer edge of the lining is a frame 4 adapted to be screwed to the outer face ofthe Wall and to which frame is pivotally mounted a pair of sheet metal doors 5 which close tightly as shown in Fig. 1 or swinguopen substantially parallel with the wall untilstoppedby theframe as shown in dotted position. The doorsarepreferably curved slightly and are carried on and se- ,oured tosubstantialpivot. rodsi6 so vthat the rods must turn with the doors. .To effect this the rods ,maybepinned to .thedoor lugs, or squared or .keyed wherefthey pass-through. or in .any other The switchesr. are-so. set that they operate to `close the heating circuit just. as soon vas the doors are ywide-open, land toopen or breakfthecircuit .whenthe doors are given. a shortmovement in a closing direction,hence,upon opening either door :wide its switch willclosea circuit andupon a .slightclosing of 4either doorthecircuit will be broken. l

v`It is -contemplatedthat .the energizing circuit `for-:thel heating. elementI or elements. pass, through :boththese switches=so=that if .either door is not fully open the circuit will be broken land the heatercannotfbe.energized, and -when the doors Vare bothopen the heater will .be automatically energized. .'Orgif desired, each door switch may beononeonly of .theelements so. thatthe open- .ing of one .door brings out and energizes .one

yelement and the. other door the. other element.

.Also it is contemplated that a'further switch 9 '-.vmay be `on fthe circuit fto control in fthe .usual :manner anydegree of heatingof the elements Iby. switchingin any amount of their heatingcoils, further, that .this switch 9 bea manually operated lswitchclosed in'lby -the doors when they ;are.c1osed so as vtobe .inaccessible except when thedoors areopen, also thatthis switch 9'be of atype `with anlarcuateglever .handle 9 or .other .projection adaptedto getin the way of the doors ,whenthis'switch isiclosed (to either ofthe dotted fpositions A, iB) ,so lthat a .further safeguard is provided against closing the doors with theheat turned on. Y'In fact, with the arrangement de- 4 scribedthe circuitmust be broken inthree places;

iiswitch 91is used; before thedoors canbe closed. The heating elements in Figs. l to 3 comprise ,two vertical tubularsupports 25;wound with rresistance wire, each support 4swingingly mounted on arms 10, v11 freely embracing the door .pivot `rods 6,50 that'the'elements can swing intoithezrecess asshoyvn in fulllinesin Figyfl, or out of it as indicated bythe dotted position of the elements. The .doors Uor krods are equipped with suitable lugs cyr-links, one form being shown at 12, so as :to engage-the arms to `give them the required amount of movement upon opening or closing of the doors, as the arms only move through about half the arc that the doors do. Suitable stops (not shown) are provided to limit the outward movement of the elements.

The hollow elements are entirely open on bottom and top so that when out of the recess and energized the heated air may freely ascend through the elements, and they are protected with alight wire grille 13 which permits free ascension of heated air all around the outsides of the elements.

Thus when the elements are out of the recess .and energized, the heated air is free to ascend through and around the elements in front of the .Wall of the room, and no rear baffle plates or air ues are required to protect the recess from over- 4heating as the heated elements are not within it,

but are out in the open.

If desired, a very light ribbed, crinkled, or indentedand polished copper sub-lining may be laced within' the recess as at l4.to give .a more .pleasing background for the dull glow of .the

vboss ofthe upper arm 10, and a castellated nnt 28 screwed on the upper end of1the:rod locksboth spiders against the ends of the element, care being used if the element is fragile that sulleient play be left to prevent breakage. Thewire guard i or cage 13 surrounding the element is also spaced by the'arms, vertical wires 13' of the cage being arranged to enter holesin the ends of the arms. In-Fig. 3 the resistance or heating coils are indicated at 29 as wound in grooves around a120 refractory insulating tube or-pipe, but as stated above,'the coilsmay be variously wound 'on the support or imbedded-if desired. i

' In Fig. 4.an arrangement of two manually operated snap switches 8 is shown, the switch`i125 handles 16 being dotted in the-orf position and .drawnin fulllines lying with their ends against the open doors vwhen in the on position with Athe'circuit closed. Hence the switches cannotV be operatedunlessthe-'doors are open, and w11! 130 Asnap off to position .C when the doors are moved to bring the lever to position D. Fig. 5 shows a similar arrangement `to that of Fig. 4 except ythat the switch handles 17 are slidably connected to the doors at v18 so that they are positive1y5135 .operated by the doors.

Fig.6.shows amanually operated switch at 19 only, but which has a pair of sliding rods 20 connected to it so that in turning the switch to the rightzto energize the elements, the doors'must 140 rst be open to clear the ends of the rods, and the switch must be turnedto the left to withdraw the rods to the position shown in the ,gure before the doors can be closed.

In all the other switch arrangements except-45 that of Fig. 6 the energy of the snap switch springs tends to hold the doors in extreme open position.

In Figs. 7 and 8 a hollowelement 25 is shown which is forced substantially straight in and outa50 of the recess upon closing or opening of the doors, the door pivots 6 carry upper and lower arms as at 21, similar in action to arms 10 of Fig. 1, slidably engaging a frame 22 supporting the element or elements.

In the movement of the elements in and out of thel recess a exible electric cable (not shown) leading from the switch box space below the lower lining, extends to the elements through holes 23 in the lower lining plate 3 shown in Fig. 1, thus leading the energy from the switches and wiring space below.

The switch and wiring space below the lining is accessible by having the lower plate 3 loose or removable. f

Attention is called to the factk that while I have shown two elements and two doors in Figs. 1 and 2, it is understood that any number of elements or style of elements may be used, or but .oneelement and one door, and that while I show a laterally opening hinged door, any other type of door opening in any direction may be used.

Also, that while I show in Figs. 1 and 2 a door which operates the circuit switch, a switch which will operate the door is the same in some respects, as in the drawing the door and switch are mutually dependent, as the movement of operating the door` may just as well be considered the movement of operating the switch, the door knobs 24 of Figs. 1 and 2 being equally the switch handles.

I claim:-

1. In a wall recess type of electric heater, a vertical hollow flue type electric heater mounted in the recess so as to move outwardly therefrom to permit its heat to ascend freely in front of the wall in which the heater is mounted.

2. In a wallrecess type of electric heater, a vertical hollow ue type electric heater mounted in the recess to move outwardly therefrom to permit its heat to ascend freely in front of the wall through said flue.

3. In a wall recess type electric heater, an electric heater of the vertical flue type mounted so as to swing from a position within to a position without the recess, a door arranged to cover the recess when the element is within the same, and means preventing energizing of the element when same is within the recess.

4. An electric wall recess type room heater comprising an electric air heating element disposed within a wall recess, a door arranged for closing over the recess, and means preventing the energizing of said element except when said door is open, said door hingedly mounted so as to be in vertical position when open to thereby form no obstruction to the free ascent of air currents in front of said recess.

5. In a wall-recess type electric air heater, an electric air heating element mounted for movement into and out of the recess whereby when in the latter position its heat will ascend upward in the room forward of the recess, and a guard spaced outward of said element movable in and out of the recess with the element, the space between the guard and the element being open at top and bottom so that air may freely ascend between the guard and the element.

6. An electric air heater comprising an electric air heating element disposedV within a wall recess, a door in front of the recess provided with means vertically pivoting the same for closing over the recess, means mounting said air heating element for swinging out of the recess when the door is opened, the arrangement being such that when the element is out of the recess the air to be heated may freely pass upward and around the element with substantially no obstruction.

'7. An electric air heater comprising an electric air heating element disposed within a wall recess, a door in front of the recess provided with means vertically pivoting the same for closing over the recess, means mounting said air heating element for swinging out of the recess when the door is opened, the arrangement being such that when the element is out of the recess the air to be heated may freely pass upward and around the element with substantially no obstruction and said door will occupy a position to protect the wall from radiant heat of said element.

' JULIEN A. BRIED. 

